Food Storage?

**peanut** · 08-12-2011, 04:26 PM

Hi all. Normally we don't need to worry about this as we live in such a cool climate. but yesterday I found bugs in my whole wheat flour. So I'm thinking it's time to get my dried goods into containers that are insect proof. Any ideas what to use? Our summer has been so hot and humid this year the bugs are having a heyday!

**craftypam** · 08-12-2011, 04:42 PM

I put mine in an off brand plastic and bugs got in; soooo I put mine in canning jars and I haven't sealed them and it seems to be working

**savvy_sniper** · 08-12-2011, 05:25 PM

All flour goes into the freezer for at least 24 hours and then into some sort of sealed container.

**Ramona** · 08-12-2011, 06:43 PM

How about dry canning? I copied and pasted this from the post of a kind FVillager, my apologies for not giving specific credit:

Canning, The Dry Method:

Hello!! These are the things I've dry canned successfully - flour (any type), cornmeal, powdered milk, rice, and oatmeal. I would imagine you can also dry can pasta. Dry canned food is supposed to have a shelf life of at least five years. Some people have said there is no 'expiration' on dry-canned items. I 've only dry-canned since 1999, so I can not agree with that from my own experience. I would say five years is more than enough..... One thing not to dry can - sugar - the heat melts the sugar. I haven't tried confectioners sugar - that may work.....If anyone tries it, let me know. Ok here are the instructions.

1. Sterilize jars and allow to dry completely. (I use regular ball quart jars.)
2. Fill jars, leaving about 1 inch headspace.
3. Put on lids and rings and hand-tighten.
4. Place jars into a warm oven (250 degrees) - placing them on the lowest rack. Allow at least 1 inch of space around the jars so that air can circulate. Time varies, but I usually leave the jars in approximately 20-30 minutes.
5. Carefully remove jars from oven and place on a thick towel.
6. After cooled and sealed, label. Store as you would any other canned foods.

**Judi Dial** · 08-12-2011, 07:17 PM

I use a vittle vault for my flour. I will be buying more of these slowly but surely as time goes on. They are expensive, but food grade and moisture, bug, and vermin proof, or supposed to be any way. We had a bad invasion of ants this spring, not a one in my flour; it convinced me!

Link:
Search Results | U.S. Plastic Corp.

Judi